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PODCAST

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About Menopause, Sex & Pleasure

Gabriella Espinosa

What does it mean to age with pleasure?Pleasure in the Pause is a podcast for women navigating midlife, menopause and beyond who want to feel more connected to their bodies, their relationships and themselves.Hosted by women’s health and sexual wellness educator Gabriella Espinosa, the show brings together candid conversations with doctors, researchers, thought leaders and wellness experts exploring what shapes our capacity for pleasure as we age — from hormones and sexual health to body image,

health & fitness sexuality

All Episodes

61:31

102 | When Mother's Day Hurts, Modern Loss, Grief,...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/05/06

There is a version of Mother's Day we all know. The brunches, the bouquets, the Hallmark cards. And then there is the version so many women carry quietly underneath — the grief of a mother who is gone, of never becoming one, of a child lost, of the mother we needed and never had, and the grief of a mother who is still here but already somehow leaving. This episode of Pleasure in the Pause makes space for that fuller truth. Host Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Rebecca Soffer, co-founder of Mo...

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56:01

101 | How To Find Your Way Back To Pleasure: Healing...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/04/29

Have you ever wondered why intimacy feels harder than it should? Why desire feels distant, or why being fully present in your body during sex feels just out of reach — even when everything else in your life seems fine? Most women in midlife assume it is hormones. And sometimes it is. But sometimes the story runs deeper, back through experiences the body absorbed and quietly held onto. In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, Gabriella sits down with licensed clinical social worker, psychothe...

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47:47

100 | Celebrating 100 Episodes Of Pleasure In The...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/04/22

This is a milestone episode. Episode 100 of Pleasure in the Pause marks two years of bold, honest conversations about women's bodies, pleasure, and sexual health in midlife — and this one is personal. For the first time, host Gabriela Espinosa steps out from behind the microphone and into the hot seat, interviewed by her friend and fellow midlife health advocate Karen Cerezo. If you have ever felt dismissed by a doctor, confused by the changes in your body, or quietly assumed that pleasure wa...

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23:01

99 | Your Body Is Speaking— Here’s How To Listen (A...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/04/15

Have you ever struggled to put words to what you're feeling — in your body, in the bedroom, or even in your doctor's office? You're not alone, and it's not your fault. Most of us were never taught the language of our own bodies, and that silence comes at a real cost: disconnection in intimate relationships, unspoken pain, and leaving healthcare appointments feeling dismissed and unheard. In this solo episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa explores what intimacy actually requ...

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45:07

98 | When Longing Becomes Your Lover: Understanding...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/04/08

Have you ever been so consumed by someone just out of reach that you checked your phone obsessively, fantasized endlessly, and somehow wanted them even more because they weren't fully available? There's actually a name for it — and in this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, Gabriella sits down with journalist, author, and limerence expert Amanda McCracken to talk about why so many of us get stuck chasing love instead of receiving it. At the heart of this conversation is a truth so many midlife...

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17:36

97 | This Is 60: A New Way to Step Into This Decade

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/04/01

Are you approaching a milestone birthday and feeling a mix of excitement and that quiet inner voice telling you to slow down, fade back, or play small? You are not alone — and in this special solo episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa turns 60 and invites you into one of the most honest, tender, and empowering conversations she has ever shared. This is not a list of anti-aging tips. This is a celebration of what it means to grow into yourself — more rooted, more unapologet...

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49:16

96 | Dressing For The Woman You're Becoming: Style,...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/03/25

Have you ever stood in front of your closet full of clothes and thought, what in the world do I wear? Not excited, not inspired, just stuck. In this conversation on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Christine Morrison, renowned journalist and author of Clothes Minded: Fashionable Essays About Finding Yourself, to explore how clothing becomes intertwined with the moments that shape us, from joy and ambition to grief, motherhood, and reinvention. This episode e...

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20:06

95 | How To Build Meaningful Female Friendships In...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/03/19

Are you feeling lonely even though you are busy? Wondering where your friendships went when life got so full? This solo episode explores why friendship in midlife is not a luxury but essential to your health and longevity, and gives you five practical ways to build the connections that will carry you into the next chapter of your life. In this deeply personal solo episode, Gabriella Espinosa shares the story of gathering friends from across the country at her home in Austin for South by South...

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45:13

94 | Weight Loss vs. Weight Health: The Hormone Truth...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/03/11

Have you been told your weight is your problem and that weight loss is the solution? What if everything you have been taught about the number on the scale, diet, and exercise is not just wrong but actively keeping you from becoming weight healthy? In this conversation on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Ashley Koff, registered dietitian and author of the new book Your Best Shot: The Personalized System for Optimal Weight Health, GLP-1 Shot or Not. Ashley shares he...

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61:55

93 | Rewriting the Rules of Sex in Midlife: Dr. Maria...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/03/04

Have you found yourself wondering why your libido has left the bedroom? Or maybe thinking, why does sex feel different now, and why didn't anyone prepare me for this? If you have felt confused, frustrated, disconnected from your body, or quietly worried that midlife and menopause might mean the end of pleasure, this episode is for you. In this conversation on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa welcomes back Dr. Maria Sophocles, board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, menopause ...

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64:57

92 | Your Midlife Vitality Blueprint: How To Thrive...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/02/25

If you're a woman in your 50s or 60s who has been doing all the right things, eating well, moving your body, managing stress, and yet you still find yourself wondering if there is more you could be doing to protect your health for the long run, this episode is for you. In this conversation on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Dr. Noor Al-Humaidhi, a board-certified family physician, menopause specialist, and founder of Lifestyles by Noor, to build what Gabrie...

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53:53

91 | The Cost of Quiet: Relationship Advice for...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/02/18

What if the silence you've been keeping in your relationship is actually one of the most costly things you've ever done? In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with licensed psychotherapist and nationally recognized relationship expert Colette Jane Fehr, author of The Cost of Quiet: How to Have the Hard Conversations That Create Secure, Lasting Love. Together, they explore why so many midlife women silence their needs in relationships, how conflict avoidan...

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55:58

90 | The Business of Pleasure: Tools for Self-Love in...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/02/11

What if the most important love story you nurture this Valentine's Week isn't with a partner, but with yourself? In this conversation on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Amy St. Germain, founder of Oboo, a pleasure-forward wellness brand creating tools designed specifically for midlife bodies. This episode is a shame-free exploration of self-pleasure as self-care, the health benefits of vibrators for midlife women, and why desire doesn't disappear as our bod...

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54:28

89 | Motherhood, Mental Health And Return To Self...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/02/04

What happens when your child's mental health crisis becomes your entire world and you quietly lose yourself in the process? In this debut episode of Return to Her, a new monthly series on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with lifestyle host and midlife influencer Lizzie Bermudez for an honest conversation about walking through over three years of her daughter's mental health struggles while putting her own life completely on hold. Lizzie shares what it felt like to be ...

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58:29

88 | The Intimate Animal: Why We’re Wired For Love,...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/01/28

Have you ever looked at your long-term partner and wondered: Is this still the connection I want? Who are we now? Can we feel close again? If you've reached midlife and found yourself in a relationship that feels more like roommates than lovers, if the spark has faded and you're not sure how to reignite it, or if you're navigating the dating world again after years away, this episode is for you. Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Dr. Justin Garcia. Dr. Garcia brings decades of research to answ...

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53:23

87 | Unapologetic Aging: How to Build a Loving...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/01/21

When you look in the mirror, what's the first story you tell yourself about your body? If you're like most midlife women, that internal dialogue is often rooted in criticism, comparison, and the relentless pressure to "fix" an aging body that was never broken in the first place. In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with registered dietitian and body image coach Deb Benfield to explore how internalized ageism and diet culture keep us disconnected from our...

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66:03

86 | Psychedelics, Menopause & Mental Health: What...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/01/14

Are you doing all the "right things" for your menopause symptoms—hormone therapy, nutrition, exercise, stress management—but still not feeling like yourself? In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa welcomes back licensed psychotherapist Ashley Turner for a groundbreaking conversation about psychedelic-assisted therapy and microdosing as complementary support during the menopause transition. Ashley Turner is a licensed marriage and family psychotherapist, yoga/me...

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47:18

85 | Breaking the Silence: Reclaiming Sexual Desire...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/01/07

Are you experiencing low libido, loss of sexual desire, or intimacy challenges during perimenopause or menopause? In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa joins Dr. Anna Cabeca on The Girlfriend Doctor Show to share her deeply personal story of sexual awakening during midlife. Together, they address one of the most common yet rarely discussed symptoms of perimenopause: the complete loss of sexual desire. Gabriela opens up about how her libido plummeted overnight,...

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30:21

84 | Midlife Reflections: What 2025 Taught Me About...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2026/01/01

Are you feeling the weight of another year passing while navigating the changes of perimenopause and menopause? Do you struggle to make sense of midlife transitions—the shifting hormones, changing body, evolving desires, and the pressure to have it all figured out? In this intimate end-of-year solo episode of Pleasure In The Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa guides you through a reflective journey to release what no longer serves you and reclaim what matters most as you step into 2026. Whet...

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35:48

83 | The Best of 2025: Hormones, Desire & Pleasure...

Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About... ·

2025/12/24

Are you struggling with hormone therapy that isn't working? Wondering why testosterone for women is so hard to access? Feeling confused about vaginal estrogen warnings? This special Best of 2025 episode of Pleasure In The Pause tackles the most pressing questions midlife women asked this year about hormone optimization, sexual satisfaction, and reclaiming pleasure during perimenopause and menopause. Host Gabriela Espinosa revisits the year's most downloaded conversations—featuring leading wom...

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